


Please

by wilddragonflying



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, I have tons of feels about the epilogue, Slight re-write, Spoilers, why does solavellan hurt so much
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-12
Updated: 2015-09-12
Packaged: 2018-04-20 07:57:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4779725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wilddragonflying/pseuds/wilddragonflying
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>What is that old Dalish curse?</i>
  <br/>
  <i>May the Dread Wolf take you?</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Please

”What is that old Dalish curse? ‘May the Dread Wolf take you?’”

Solas watched as Era'harel glanced to the side, hurt and resignation flashing across her bare face—he remembered that expression all too well, from the glance that he’d stolen as he walked away from her, that night in Crestwood.

After a moment, Era'harel spoke. “And so he did.” Her voice was quiet, that familiar, _comforting_ spark gone in a heartbeat, replaced by a woman who had endured more heartbreak than she should ever have had to—and Solas had been the one to put her through that.

”No,” he said, sharper than intended in his desire to make her understand. “I would not lay with you, not under false pretenses, vhenan.”

In an instant, the spark was back—but this time it manifested as a fire, directed at him. “Don’t call me that,” she hissed. “Damn it, Solas, _I loved you._ Creators forgive me, but I still do. I would have understood if you’d told me!”

”I meant to,” Solas found himself saying, almost against his will—Era'harel had always had a way of drawing more from him than he intended. “That night, at the waterfall—“

He glanced at Era'harel, finding her looking him with a stunned expression. “You were?” she asked, almost murmured, but then frowned. “Why didn’t you?”

Solas laughed, though it was dry. “Because the great Fen’Harel was afraid,” he said bitterly. “Even elves as old as I only love once, vh—Era'harel. Such has always been the way of the People. You said you loved me, but what if the truth was enough to break the bond? Give me demons, wars, anything but the thought of you rejecting me for who I was—who I’d chosen to be.” He knew his expression was embarrassingly open when he looked to her again, and when he spoke, his voice was quiet, sincere. “Not once, in all my life, had anyone gotten close enough to make me truly _feel_ for them. And you became a friend, and then so much more—and it was almost too easy. That itself frightened me, but when I realized how much you’d come to mean to me, even after that first kiss in the Fade…” He took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. “I did not want to lose you, but I knew that I must—this world is broken, Era'harel. And I made it that way.”

The other elf was looking at him with an expression full of emotions he did not know if he wanted to try to decipher. Things were quiet between them for a few heartbeats, and then Era'harel stepped forward. “I do still love you,” she admitted quietly, as if voicing the darkest secret of her heart—and perhaps she was, now that she knew who it was that she loved. “And I—I understand why you did not tell me.” She laughed, though it was self-deprecating, just a short huff of breath. “I understand all too well the fear of not being enough for someone.”

Not for the first time, Solas’s heart ached at the thought of the pain he’d caused her. “Vhenan—“

Era'harel shook her head. “What do you intend to do, then? Surely you’re not willing to come back and play at being a happy couple with me.”

Solas shook his head then, explaining to her the history of Thedas, of their people, and how he planned to bring things back to the way they were. Era'harel listened intently, asking questions until Solas had satisfied her curiosity. Then, she spoke. “I cannot let you do this, you know,” she said softly, but firmly. “This world may be imperfect, but the world you would bring back—it has no place, Solas.” Her mouth opened to say something else, but she was interrupted by the Anchor pulsing once again—the green glow of the Fade, of Solas’s magic, turned sickly with the corruption it was wreaking upon Era'harel’s body.

Solas saw the moment her knees buckled, and he stepped forward, catching her in time to ease her to her knees as she cried out in pain. “I am sorry, vhenan,” he murmured, cradling her head against his shoulder as she shook with the pain. “I will take this away—I was make this all better.”

With her good hand, Era'harel fumbled for Solas’s robe, taking it in an almost surprisingly firm grip. “Solas—Vhenan, _please_ ,” she begged. “ _I cannot give up on you—nor would I if I could. Please, don’t do this._ ”

For the first time in millennia, Solas felt the prick of tears at the back of his eyes, felt the moisture gather at the corner of them. “ _I am truly sorry, vhenan,_ ” he murmured. “ _But I must correct the wrongs of the past._ ” He turned his head slowly, carefully leaning forward—and when Era'harel did not move away, he let himself be weak one last time. He leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers in a soft, chaste kiss, even as he used one hand to destroy the Anchor—and with it, Era'harel’s arm up to the elbow. The Anchor had corrupted the flesh it possessed, rendering it useless—if Solas did not destroy the Anchor, then it would destroy Era'harel within the year.

When they parted, it was with a soft sound and a whimper falling from Era'harel’s lips. “Solas,” she begged, his name an almost irresistible plea. “ _Please._ ” Solas doubted that even Era'harel knew what she was asking for.

” _Ar lath ma, vhenan,_ ” Solas murmured, taking one last breath, one last moment, before he pushed himself to his feet. “I will never forget you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Idk, I may write some more with this-- maker knows I'm gonna need SOMETHING to keep me occupied now that I've replayed Inquisition god knows how many times, and I've done at least 2 near-complete playthroughs. God I can't wait for the next game-- can't wait to explore the Tevinter Imperium!


End file.
